Hanger rod



March 14, 1961 J. B. BROSSEAU HANGER ROD Filed Oct. 16. 1958 mN i uATTYS.

- ENVENTOR. JQHN B. 590555150 @Z,W

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United States Patent 2,974,805 HANGER ROD John B. Brossean, Oak Park,111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Jeb-Rod Corporation, ForestPark, 11]., a corporation of New Mexico Filed Oct. 16, 1958, Ser. No.767,709

1 Claim. (Cl. 211-1055) The invention relates to an improved rod forsupporting clothing, drapes, curtains or other suspendible articles andit is more particularly concerned with a hanger rod adapted forinstallation between two spaced walls or other upright structures.

One object of the invention is to provide a hanger rod of the abovegeneral character embodying dual adjusting means by which its length maybe varied, first to fit within an available space between the walls of acloset or other upright surfaces and, secondly, to engage such surfacesand support the rod and a substantial load in a dependable mannerwithout marring the surfaces in any Another object is to provide ahanger rod in which the pressure exerted on the spaced surfaces tosupport the rod is maintained efiectively even though the length of therod or the spacing of the surfaces may vary due to temperature or otherchanges, thus insuring that the rod will remain in place at all timeseven when supporting a substantial load.

A further object is to provide an improved mechanism for latching a pairof telescoping tubular members in selected positions of longitudinaladjustment.

it is also an object of the invention to provide a longitudinallyadjustable hanger rod which is attractive in appearance, which can bemanufactured and sold at a relatively low price and which is so simplethat it can be installed quickly and easily by the average personwithout the use of tools and as quickly and easily removed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be come apparent fromthe following detailed description of the preferred embodimentillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a hanger rod embodying thefeatures of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rod shown in Figure l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top view of the hanger rod showing details ofthe mechanism for latching the two telescoping sections of the rod inadjusted positions.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the rod taken in a planesubstantially on the line 44 of Fig. 2 showing the latch mechanismengaged.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 showing the latch mechanismreleased to permit collapse of the telescoping sections.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken in a plane substantially on the line 66of Fig. 2.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and will bedescribed in detail herein, this is not intended to limit the inventionto the particular form shown. The intention is to cover allmodifications and adaptations falling within the spirit and scope of theinvention as more broadly or generally characterized in the appendedclaim.

For purposes of illustration, the invention has been shown in the formof a hanger rod particularly suitable for temporary installation inclothes closets or other rooms having relatively closely spaced uprightwalls where installation of permanent rods is either undesirable orimpractical. To enhance the utility and adaptability of the rod andpermit its use between dilferently spaced supporting structures the rodis constructed in two sections 10 and 11 assembled for relative endwisesliding movement. The rod sections 10 and 11, which may be made ofmetal, plastic or other suitable material, are preferably in the form oftubular members dimensioned for telescoping assembly. In the exemplaryembodiment the tubular members are circular in cross section and mayconveniently comprise tubes of stainless steel or other suitable metalplated or otherwise finished to present an attractive appearance.

To support the rod between a pair of spaced walls or other uprightsurfaces, shoes 12 and 13 are mounted at opposite ends of the respectivemembers 10, 11. The shoes preferably comprise rigid plates or discs 14and 15 presenting flat surfaces of substantial area generallyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod assembly. Each shoe isdesirably fitted with a cushion or boot 16 of rubber or rubberlikematerial adapted to afford nonslipping contact with the supportingsurface and to prevent mariing of the surface when pressed against itwith substantial force.

The supporting shoes are brought approximately into contact with thespaced supporting surfaces between which the rod is to be mounted byrelatively sliding the sections or members 10 and 11 endwise. Inaccordance with one aspect of the invention simple yet eflfective latchmeans is provided for retaining the rod in extended condition yetpermitting quick and easy release and collapse of the rod when it is tobe removed. For this purpose the inner member 11 is formed with a seriesof outwardly opening notches 17 spaced apart uniformly along the member.Each notch may be conveniently formed by cutting a kerf transverselyacross the wall of the memher to define a stop surface 18. The Wall ofthe tube at one side of the kerf is pressed in to form a sloping shelf19.

As the pressure for retaining the rod in installed position is exertedon the shoe carrying end of the rod sec tions, the stop surfaces 18 arefaced toward the opposite end of the rod and are preferably undercutslightly so that they slope outwardly from the shoe carrying end.Accordingly, the pressure exerted on the rod in a direction to collapsethe sections contributes to the positive locking of the members inextended position as will appear presently.

Latch means including a spring wire latch element 20 is provided on theouter member 10 for cooperation with the stop surfaces 18 to restrainthe members against collapsing movement. To accommodate the latchelement the member 10 is formed with a transverse slot 21 locatedadjacent the end of the member remote from the shoe 12. The latchelement 20 in its preferred form has a straight central portion 22adapted to be received in and extend across the slot 21. Opposite endportions 23 of the latch element are bowed inwardly to embrace the wallof the member 10 and the tips of the end portions are bent inwardly todefine hooks adapted to engage in a second slot 25 formed in the wall ofthe member 10 diametrically opposite the slot 21. Due to the springcharacteristics of the element, the central portion 22 is yieldablyurged into the bottom of the slot 21 but may be sprung outwardly in theslot to release the members without dislodging the hooks 24.

Preferably the slot 21 is cut to a depth approximating the depth of thenotches 17 so that the central portion 22 of the latch element when innormal position in its slot is eflfective to engage the stop surfaces 18adjacent the lower ends of their associated notches. The latch i V2,974,so

member thus positively blocks the inner tubular member 1 1 againstmovement relative to the outer member in a collapsing direction. Theslope of the surface 18 tends to cam the latch element down into thebottom of the slot and thus provides a positive lock against collapse ofthe rod. Relative movement of the members in the opposite direction toextend the rod may take place freely as the latch element rides up theinclined shelves 18 of the notches.

To release the latch means for collapsing the rod, it is only necessaryto rotate one of the rod members relative to the other to present anormal area of the inner rod below the notch 21. The latching portion 22of the latch element is thus lifted out of engagement with the stopsurfaces and the rod members are freed for movement in a collapsingdirection. A suitable index mark 26 is desirably provided on the outermemberto facilitate alinement of the two members for effective latchingand releasing. To avoid interference by the latch means when the innermember is initially assembled with the member the end portion of themember 11 is formed to provide a sloping cam surface 27 adapted to rideunder and lift the latch element as the members are telescoped together.

As indicated above, the relative endwise adjustment of the tubularmembers 10 and 11 provides for the initial adjustment of the rod lengthto fit it between the upright surfaces available for its mounting. Meansis provided for further extension of the rod assembly as a whole topress the shoes 12 and 13 against the surfaces with sufiicient force tomaintain the rod securely in place and condition it for suspending arelatively heavy load. For this purpose, one of the shoes, in thisinstance, the shoe 13, is mounted for adjustment axially of the rodassembly. The other shoe may be similarly mounted if desired or it maybe rigidly mounted. As shown in Fig. 2, the shoe 12 is so mounted bymeans of an integrally formed hub 27 adapted to telescope into the endof the member '10 with a tight fit.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention the adjustablemounting of the shoe 13 is constructed and arranged to provide ayieldable connection between the shoe and the rod. This yieldableconnection materially helps in adjusting the shoe to exert the requiredpressure on the supporting surfaces for sustaining the rod under load.It is also advantageous in maintaining eifective holding pressure eventhough the length of the rod or the spacing of the supporting surfacesmay vary somewhat due to temperature or other changes.

To attain the foregoing advantages, the shoe 13 is fixed to the outerend of an elongated member 30 extending into and slidable endwise of theinner member 11. The member 30, which may conveniently comprise a screwthreaded bolt, is supported and guided by a cap 31 fitted on the end ofthe member 11 and having a central aperture 32 for the accommodation ofthe bolt. A nut 33 is threaded on the projecting end of the bolt and.between the nut and the cap 31 is interposed a relatively strong coiledcompression spring 34. As the nut is screwed toward the head of the boltthe spring 34 urges the bolt and shoe 13 outwardly or extends theefiective length of the rod. When the shoe engages the supportingsurface or other obstruction, continued turning of the nut compressesthe spring and accordingly increases the pressure exerted by the shoeagainst the surface. This pressure, of course, is transmitted throughthe rod to the other shoe and in this way the rod is effectively clampedproved hanger rod may be installed very quickly and easily by anyonesince installation can be efiected without use of any tools or specialfittings. Thus, the rod may be installed between two spaced supportingstructures such as walls W and W1 of a room by simply lining up the mark26 on the outer member 10 with the notches on the inner member 11,placing the shoe 12 against the wall W and pulling out the inner member11 until the shoe 13 is substantially in contact with the wall WI. Themembers 10 and 11 are effectively retained in the extended position bythe latch element 20 engaging the stop surface 18 .of the nearest notch17. Final adjustment or extension of the rod assembly is then effectedby screwing down the nut 33 to compress the spring 34. The spring may becompressed to develop any reasonable pressure between shoes 12 and 13against the wall surfaces required to hold the rod and its load inplace. Expansion or contraction of the spring compensates for any slightvariations in the length of the rod or in the spacing of the surfaces Wor W1 due to temperatu're or other changes. The load carrying capacityof the rod is thus efiectively maintained at all times.

Removal of the rod is equally quick and easy. It is only necessary tograsp the two members 10 and 11 and turn one relative to the otherthrough a small angle or less). This releases the latch mechanism andpermits the rod to be collapsed. To install the rod between more widelyspaced surfaces such as the walls W, W2 the above described procedure isfollowed. The telescoping rod members 10 and 11 are simply extended theextra distance and final clamping is effected by manipulation of the nut33.

The improved hanger rod is attractive in appearance and its simpleconstruction permits it to be manufactured and sold at a relatively lowprice. The walls or other surfaces on which the rod is supported are notmarred or marked in any way. The installation requires no specialfittings or tools nor does it require any mechanical skill. In otherwords, the installation can be made quickly and easily by practicallyanyone. Properly installed, the rod is capable of supporting substantialloads.

I claim as my invention:

An extensible hanger rod comprising, in combination, a pair of elongatedtubular members assembled in telescoping relation, said members beingrelatively movable endwise to adjust the effective length of the rod,cooperating latch elements on said members operative to retain them inadjusted positions, a support shoe mounted on the outer end of onemember presenting a substantial contact area transverse to the axis ofthe rod for frictional engagement with an upright surface, a cap fittedon the outer end of the other tubular member, said cap having a centralaperture, an elongated element slidable in said aperture, said elementhaving an enlarged head disposed within the tubular member, a supportshoe mounted on the projecting end of said element presenting asubstantial contact area transverse to the axis of the rod forfrictional engagement with an upright surface spaced from said firstmentioned surface, a nut threaded on said element between said cap andsaid support shoe, a relatively weak compression spring interposedbetween said cap and the head of said element operative to hold theelement and its contact shoe in position while the rod is beinginstalled between said two upright surfaces, and a relatively strongcompression spring interposed between said cap and said nut yieldablyurging said element and said shoe in a direction to increase the spacingbetween the shoes and thereby maintain the shoes in friction clampingengagement with the upright surfaces between which the rodisinstalledQsaid nut being operable to adjust the tension of said strongspring to press the shoe against said surfaces with sufficient force tomaintain the rod in position while supporting a substantial load.

p (References on following page) 5 References Cited in the file of thispatent 2,376,716

UNITED STATES PATENTS 785,455 Vigie Mar. 21, 1905 833,577 Snyder Oct.16, 1906 2,199,851 Culver May 7, 1940 64,968

6 Odin May 22, 1945 Jones Nov. 10, 1953 Cornell Apr. 13, 1954 FOREIGNPATENTS

